Playing for Pizza

[I should begin this post with a disclaimer: This is the first of Grisham's novels I have read. Fans should take the following criticism with that in mind. (Apparently his "legal thrillers" are what I'm missing, and I acknowledge that.)]
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Grisham has taken a break from writings of his usual path and turned out a lighthearted... adventure story? Romance? Travel drama? I'm not sure what shelf it aims to land on in the bookstore, but it seems to be a mixture of all of the above, none with success. And unfortunately, it is not as lighthearted as he intends - in fact, it's downright depressing at times.

The novel's title succinctly reflects the themes of the story: football and Italy. And that's all that the book is - detailed play-by-plays of games, and descriptions of Italian life. In between is a protagonist named Rick Dockery, a failed NFL third-string quarterback recruited to Italy to beef up an amateur team. (Since the Italian culture is immersed in futbol, "American football" has a cult following, and they are thrilled to have an NFL player join them.) To use the word "protagonist" doesn't seem accurate, as there is limited emotional depth and zero character development to him whatsoever. Initially, the author attempts (I think) to have the reader feel sorry for the poor guy - after all, he's a pro football player out of a job - but within the first three chapters Rick just looks pathetic. His romantic life later in the novel lacks any sort of spark beyond the woman being allegedly very attractive.

I have no desire to read about football, so I skipped over much of the game detail. I have been to Italy, however, so fortunately I was half interested. If there is one saving grace of this book, it is that Grisham does a marvelous job of bringing his colorful Italian characters to life. While writing, he spent ample time in the country, and as a result does justice to the culture, the people, and la dolce vita. (If only our American quarterback, who carries the story, could have been as interesting.)

In the end, I can give the author points for being original - the storyline drew me in, even if the substance was beyond disappointing. After this I feel almost obligated to give some of his more conventional fare a chance.

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DO READ IF: you are a Grisham enthusiast? I guess?
DO NOT READ IF: you have no interest in American football nor Italian culture... there's not much more to get out of this.

Life of Pi

Author: Yann Martel

Synopsis: A modern retelling of the classic "survival story," but with a few excellent twists.

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I picked up Life of Pi at a library book sale in Oberlin, Ohio, while in college. I didn't know anything about the novel, but its beautifully-designed cover caught my attention.

It was that cover's same allure that drew me back to it, nearly two years later. And for that I am grateful - it's the most engaging fictional work previously unknown to me, champion of classic literature and not much fond of modern, that I've attempted in months.

The story is simple. A teenage boy, son of a zookeeper, finds himself stranded at sea after a devastating shipwreck. (His name of Piscine, shortened to "Pi," lends the book its title.) In some ways, a classic survival tale, but with many colorful additions: cultural references to India, insight into the instinctual processes of wild animals, and always delightful turns of phrase. ...Oh and by the way, there's a 450-pound adult Bengal tiger sharing his lifeboat.

I cannot say more without giving away the fantastic and shocking twist at the end - worth waiting for, even when the storytelling begins to lag a bit three-quarters of the way through.

My only critique is the way the author handles his discussion of religion. In Martel's attempt to sound thoughtful - or perhaps share some deep nugget of wisdom - he instead only forces the reader to experience probably the same spiritual confusion that he did in his teen years... and with no solid denouement to his struggles. As this happens near the beginning of the book, he could easily have cut 25 pages and better preserved the momentum of his story.

Life of Pi is relatively easy to read, and the writing and the nature of the story will keep any reader hooked for its entirety. I finished it in two sittings. (Granted, the first was during a long flight across the country, but those few hours were the most enjoyable time I expended during travel.)

DO READ IF: you want to add a modern favorite to your collection.
DO NOT READ IF: you have a weak stomach for lurid descriptions of blood, killing, entrails, etc. (Since most of the protagonist's life is spent fighting against starvation, as well as feeding a wild Bengal tiger, there are scattered and frequent incidents that could make a reader quite nauseous. Vegetarians, look elsewhere.)

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary

Author: Simon Winchester

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This is the fascinating true account of the crafting of the Oxford English Dictionary, and the lives of the two men who most influenced it.

James Murray, an esteemed linguistic scholar from Scotland and the instigator of the dictionary's creation, sought the help of an American named William Chester Minor for thirty years until his death. The brilliant Minor sent Murray original definitions, citations, corrections, and polishing touches on thousands of words throughout his lifetime, and gained the respect of many English scholars and researchers in the process. After many years apart, without ever having met the mysterious contributor, Murray decided to pay Minor a visit - only then discovering that the man was contained for life in an insane asylum.

The historical events leading up to this shocking realization are well-researched and include reproductions of passages from unearthed journals and hospital accounts to support the story, as well as the author's editorial musings on the cause of Minor's madness. One neat feature is a dictionary entry included at the beginning of each chapter, taken directly from the original OED. The extracts tie in with the content of the chapter - for example, chapter 3, titled "The Madness of War," discusses William Minor's early stirrings of insanity, so the paragraph entry included is "Lunatic." It gives a scholarly flavor to the murder-mystery feel of the story, keeping specific events in perspective of the greater context of the monumental first English dictionary, seven decades in the making.

Equal parts a riveting true story of a madman, an insightful picture of war, an engaging historical narrative, a murder mystery, and a detailed account of what was to be one of the most colossal projects of the 19th century, Professor is worth a read by anyone.